Heddle control mechanism for looms



July 1, 1958 M. B. PENMAN" HEDDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LOOMS FiledJail. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR MONTGOMERY B. PENMA N ATTORNEYJuly 1, 1958 7 MB. PE NMAN 2,841,184 HEDDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LOOMSFiled Jan. s, 1956 w 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MONTGOMERY B. PENMANATTORNEY July 1, 1958 M. B. PENMAN 2,841,184

I HEDDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Fiied Jan. 6, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet slllllllll Illa-Ill llill iilli INVENTOR MONTGOMERY B. PENMAN ATTORNEYJuly 1, 1958 M. B. PENMAN :HEDDLE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR LO'OMS 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 6, 1956 m H T N m m. 1 1 Wm W n Mm. A MINI.RAVE w B QW W r m. l. E N MM. M w T N o M United States Patent HEDDLECONTROL MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Montgomery B. Penman, Bloomsburg, Pa.,assignor to The Magee Carpet Company, Bloomsburg, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application January 6, 1956, Serial No. 557,683

16 Claims. (Cl. 139-56) This invention relates to mechanism foroperating the heddles of a loom and more particularly to mechanism forselectively controlling the operation of the heddles whereby a greatvariety of fabric patterns may be woven.

It is an object of the invention to provide an electrically controlledmechanism for selectively raising and lowering the heddle frames of aloom which is more simple then shed forming mechanism heretoforeemployed.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a series ofheddle frames having independent operating means and electronic meansfor selectively controlling the operating means in accordance with apattern.

A further object of the invention resides in providing selectivelycontrolled operating means for raising and lowering the heddle frames ofa loom having solenoids for controlling the operating means to selectthe heddles to be raised or lowered, the solenoids being controlled byrotary circuit closers provided with adjustable contacts arranged inaccordance with a pattern.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the heddle operating mechanism,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the arrangement of the pinionsfor operating the heddles,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the eccentric shaft and circuitcontrolling disks,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the circuit controllingdisks,

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram showing the circuit connections between thesolenoids and circuit closers,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the latching means forcontrolling the reciprocating rack bars,

and,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the operating means for the reciprocatingrack bars.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration apreferred embodiment of the invention is shown, the numeral 10designates the frame of a velvet loom having a plurality of heddleframes 11 mounted in spaced parallel relation for vertical reciprocatingmovement. The number of heddle frames may vary but in the presentinstance six frames are shown and each frame carries the usual heddlesfor manipulating the warps to formsheds for inserting the regularneedle, shuttle or weft and wires employed in weaving a fabric.

A pinion shaft 12 is mounted above the heddle frames having one endjournaled in bearing 13 mounted on the ice? 2 each of the heddle frames,the first two gears being fixed on shaft 12 to rotate therewith and theremaining gears each being fixed on one end of sleeves 17 rotatablymounted on the shaft and within a central bearing 17'. A second seriesof pinions 18 are mounted on the rear end of shaft 12, one gear beingfixed on the shaft and the remaining gears being fixed on the rear endsof sleeves 17. The sleeves 17 are of graduated length and rotateindependently of each other and the shaft 12. The pinions 18 are rotatedby a series of longitudinal reciprocating rack bars 19 in mesh with thepinions, the bars being slidable in guide slots 20 formed in bracket arm16 and supported on roller bearings 21 carried by U- shape linings 22fitted in the slots 20. The pinions 16 are in mesh with vertical rackbars 23 extending upwardly from the heddle frames with the rack bar ofthe first heddle frame disposed on the opposite side of the shaft 12 tothat of the other rack bars so that the first two heddle frames alwaysmove in opposite directions upon rotation of the shaft, as the pinionsin mesh with the first two rack bars 23 are fixed to shaft 12 and rotatetogether.

The longitudinal rack bars 19 are reciprocated by a pair of push bars 24and 25 extending across the rack' bars which have their ends connectedby pitmans 26 and 27 to straps 28 and 29 of eccentrics 311 and 31mounted on shaft 32. The eccentrics are set to move the push barstowards and from each other upon rotation of shaft 32.

Connection between the push bars 24 and 2S and rack bars 19 isestablished by rocker arms 33 pivotally attached intermediate theirends, as at 34, to the side of the rack bars between the push bars 24and 25. The ends of the rocker arms are notched at 35 to provide lipsfor latching engagement with the push bars when the rocker arms aremoved to project one or the other end into the path of movement of thepush bars. Each rocker arm has a central depending arm 36 connected atits lower end to one end of a solenoid core 37 by a pivot pin 38.

.The solenoid core 37 has an intermediate insulated portion 39 and isslidably mounted through the coil of a solenoid 40 mounted on a bar 41.A coil spring 4-2 having one end connected to the rack bar and itsopposite end to arm 36 normally moves the rocker arm to elevate the lefthand end to position the lip in the path of movement of push bar 24whereby the movement of the push bar will move the rack bar to the rightthus rotating the pinion 18 in mesh therewith. Rotation of pinion 13will rotate the corresponding pinion 15 thus raising the rack bar 23 inmesh therewith to elevate the selected heddle frame 11. In order to rockthe rocker arm 33 to lower the left hand end below the path of movementof push bar 24, solenoid 46} is energized thereby moving core 37 to theright which pulls arm as to swing the rocker arm. With the left hand endof the rocker arm lowered the push bar 24 will pass over the rocker armand the rack bar will not be moved. When a rack bar 1 .is moved by pushbar 24 it moves core 37 through the solenoid and .upon tie-energizing ofthe solenoid, spring 4?; moves the rocker arm to its normal positionwith the left end elevated and the right end lowered beneath the path ofmovement of push bar 25. If it is desired to move rack bar 19 to theleft, solenoid 4th is energized thereby rocking the rocker arm 33 tolower the left end and elevate the right end for latching engagementwith the push bar 25. Thus, it is seen the rack bars 19 may beselectively operated to control the raising and lowering of the heddleframes. The vertical movement of the rack bars 23 is guided by guiderollers 5h mounted in frames 51 carried by cross bars 52. The shaft 32supporting the eccentrics is driven by sprocket wheels 32' connected toa drive shaft of the loom.

The 'means for controlling the energizing of the solenoids consists of aseries of disks 43, one for each sole noid which are fixed on arotatable shaft 44. The shaft 44 is driven by a gear 44 in mesh with agear on a drive shaft of the loom. A series of contacts 45 areadjustably secured around the periphery of each disk being secured bybolts 46 that fit in the perforations 47. A brush contact 48 is disposedabove each disk for contacting engagement with the contacts 45 as thedisks revolve. The contacts of each disk are connected to a source ofcurrent 49 in circuit with the solenoids and each solenoid is connectedthrough a brush contact with one of the disks. By arrangement of thecontacts 45 on the disks the solenoids may be selectively energized tocontrol the selection of the rack bars 19 to be moved either in adirection to the right or to the left.

In operation, the push bars 24 and 25 are reciprocated along the rackbars 19 in opposite directions. Connection between the bars 19 and pushbars is effected by operation of the rocker arms 33 which are controlledby springs 42 and solenoids 40. The springs 42 normally rock the arms 33to swing the left end upwardly into the path of movement of the push bar24 but when a solenoid is energized the arm is rocked to swing the rightend upwardly into the path of movement of the push bar 25. The solenoidsare in circuit with circuit closing disks 43 there being one disk foreach solenoid. The contacts 45 on the disks are arranged to selectivelycontrol the closing of the circuits to the solenoids, therebydetermining which of the rocker arms Will be positioned in the path ofthe push bar 24 or the path of the bar 25. If the solenoid of a rockerarm is not energized then the rocker arm will be disposed in the path ofthe push bar 24 and as the bar moves to the right it will engage therocker arms and thereby move the rack bars to which the rocker arms areattached. Movement of the rack bars will rotate the pinions l8 and 16which will operate the rack bars 23 to raise the heddle frames 11. Theframes 11 will remain raised until the rack bars 19 are moved to theleft which will be determined by operation of the rocker arms undercontrol of the solenoids. Thus, it will be seen the heddles may beselectively raised or lowered to select the desired warps to form a shedfor insertion of the weft and wires and by changing the order ofselection a great variety of fabric patterns may be woven. The heddleselecting mechanism may be easily installed on a conventional velvetloom and when installed may be easily set to weave different fabricpatterns.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is a preferred example of the same and changes in the shape,size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles, individual gear mechanisms for raising andlowering said heddles including reciprocating means for operating eachgear mechanism to raise or lower said heddles, movable latches carriedby said reciprocating means, oppositely movable means for engaging saidlatches to operate said reciprocating means to raise or lower saidheddles, and solenoids for selectively controlling said latches.

2. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles, individual gear mechanisms for raising andlowering said heddles including reciprocating means for operating eachgear mechanism to raise or lower said heddles, movable latches carriedby said reciprocating means, means on opposite sides of said latchesreciprocable to engage said latches to operate said reciprocating meansand solenoids for selec tively controlling said latches to move thelatches into and out of engagement with said reciprocable means.

3. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles having vertical rack bars, individual gearsin mesh with the rack bars of said heddles, a shaft for each of saidgears, a second gear on said shafts, reciprocating bars for rotatingsaid second gears, rockable latches carried by said reciprocating bars,reciprocable means on opposite sides of said latches movable in oppositedirections, and means for selectively operating said latches to rock thelatches into engagement with one or the other of said reciprocablemeans.

4. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles, individual gear mechanisms for raising andlowering said heddles, reciprocating bars for operating each gearmechanism, rockable latches carried by said reciprocating bars,reciprocable means on opposite sides of said latches movable in oppositedirections for engagement with said latches to move said reciprocatingbars, and means for selectively operating said latches to move thelatches into engagement with one or the other of said reciprocablemeans.

5. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles, individual gear mechanisms for raising andlowering said heddles, reciprocating bars for operating each gearmechanism, rockable latches carried by said reciprocating bars,reciprocable means movable longitudinally of said reciprocating bars onopposite sides of said latches and in opposite directions for engagementwith said latches to move said reciprocating bars, and solenoids forselectively operating said latches to move the latches into engagementwith one or the other of said reciprocable means.

6. A heddle control mechanism for looms as described in claim 5including means for normally holding said latches in engagement with oneof said reciprocable means.

7. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series ofvertically movable heddles, rotatable means for independently raisingand lowering each of said heddles, slidable means for operating saidrotatable means, movable latches carried by said slidable means,

reciprocable means on opposite sides of said latches movablelongitudinally of said slidable means in opposite directions, and meansfor selectively actuating said latches to connect said slidable meanswith one or the other of said reciprocable means.

8. A heddle control mechanism as described in claim 7 wherein saidlast-mentioned means are solenoids.

9. A heddle control mechanism as described in claim 7 wherein saidlast-mentioned means are solenoids and including a pattern mechanism forcontrolling said solenoids.

10. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series of heddleshaving vertical rack bars, a series of gears meshing with the rack barsof said heddles, reciprocating bars for rotating said gears to raise andlower said heddles, rockable latches carried by said reciprocating bars,reciprocable means on opposite sides of said latches movable in oppositedirections longitudinally of said reciprocating bars, and means forselectively operating said latches to rock the latches into engagementwith one or the other of said reciprocable means.

11. A heddle control mechanism for looms as described in claim 10wherein said last-mentioned means are solenoids.

12. A heddle control mechanism for looms as described in claim 10wherein said last-mentioned means are solenoids and including patternmechanism for controlling said solenoids.

13. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series of heddleshaving vertical rack bars, individual gears meshing with the rack barsof said heddles, a series of concentric shafts for mounting said gears,second gears mounted on each of said shafts, reciprocating bars forrotating said second gears, rockable latches carried bysaidreciprocating bars, cross bars extending across said reciprocatingbars on opposite sides of said latches, means for reciprocating saidcross bars lonigtudinally of said reciprocating bars in oppositedirections and solenoids for selectively operating said latches to movethe latches into engagement with one or the other of said cross bars.

14. A heddle control mechanism for looms as described in claim 13including pattern mechanism for controlling said solenoids.

15. A heddle control mechanism for looms comprising a series of heddleshaving vertical rack bars, a series of gears meshing with the rack barsof said heddles, reciprocating bars for rotating said gears to raise andlower said heddles, rockable latches carried by said reciprocating bars,reciprocable means on opposite sides of said latches movable in oppositedirections longitudinally of said reciprocating bars, arms extendingfrom said latches intermediate their ends, solenoids having a slidablecore with one end of said core pivotally connected to said arms, andmeans for selectively energizing said solenoids 6 to move said core torock said latches into engagement with said reciprocable means.

16. A heddle control mechanism as described in claim 15 including springmeans connected to said arms for rocking said latches in the oppositedirection when said solenoids are de-energized.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS274,913 Crompton Apr. 3, 1883 1,090,536 Houget et a1. Mar. 17, 19141,504,881 Eggart Aug. 12, 1924 2,136,090 Tandler et a1. Nov. 8, 19382,674,272 Werner et a1. Apr. 6, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 255,378 SwitzerlandJan. 17, 1949 323,522 Italy Dec. 26, 1934

